1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for dismantling large structures, and more particularly, it relates to a method for dismantling a natural gas holder weighing approximately 3,000 tons by disassembly from the bottom and lowering of the structure until it is of a height that it can be dismantled by other means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a large number of natural gas holders which have been in service for 50 years or more located around the country. Other means have now been established for storing the natural gas under pressure and underground in less obtrusive facilities. It has therefore been the object of the owners of these out-of-date storage facilities to dismantle them and remove them from their present sites. However, there are serious problems in attempting to do so since these structures weigh in the range of 3,000 tons and stand nearly 400 feet high and can be as much as 250 feet in diameter. Disassembly from the top involves extreme danger to the laborers working at such height and from the possibility of dropping the parts or pieces which could cause injury to workers on the ground. In addition, if disassembly begins at the top, the structure loses its integrity and internal support. Therefore, a novel means of disassembly had to be devised. There was no known means by which this could be accomplished.